The Mutant Zim Gene
by Familiar47
Summary: When a fight leads to a Dimensional Portal, Zim and his gang have to deal with a world turned upside down...and has super powered humans coming out the wazoo? Eventual ZATR!     Disturbing portrayals of my favoured OCs. O O
1. Chapter 1

The Mutant Zim Gene

Xxx

Gaz Membrane should have known better than to even start to think that she would-just for once have a night where she could just sit down and play her game, slay a few vampire piggies and maybe enjoy some pizza. Obviously her idiotic brother was going to ruin it during his never ending war against that moronic alien, Zim.

Why did he even bother? Half the time Zim's plans failed because they were just plain stupid. The other half they were foiled by some outside cause or his retarded robot.

But of course Dib never asked these questions, instead he went on about how he had to be the one to save the damn world.

...Really now Dib, talk about ego?

But back to the story at hand. Gaz was sitting in the living room of the Membrane household when suddenly the door burst open and Dib practically skipped inside, holding a camera in one hand.

"I finally did it Gaz!" Dib said as he held the camera over his head. "I got pictures of not only Zim, but I also got a picture of Tak out of her disguise! I took like a million of Zim's base, his robot even posed for me!" He showed her a photo of himself and GIR-Zim's little robot sidekick giving the camera a thumbs up and grinning like the idiots they were.

"...so?" Gaz turned off her Game Slave.

"This is the evidence I need Gaz!" Dib said. "I can reveal Zim for the monster he is! And this time he doesn't have his precious little..._shrinky..._drone thing inside me to control my arms!"

Gaz raised one eye brow as her brother's choice of words. "Uh...Dib?"

"Yeah Gaz?"

"You left the door open." She pointed.

"Oh, well then-" Db turned just as something leaped through with a war cry.

It landed, all 5'8 inches of it. With a slender build, and clad in a pair of black boots, matching black pants, and a red tunic with a pink triangular collar and matching pink shoulder pauldrons, the intruder was an odd sight. He had black elvis style hair and big blue eyes. His pink zipper shaped teeth were bared in a snarl.

A second figure shot n through the door, did a flip in mid air and landed next to him, striking a pose. The little robot had red eyes and a red square on his chest, and a single antenna on his head. He struck a finale, majestic posed, with a single grunt. "Hah!"

And the third figure merely floated in with a 'squeak!'

The small, moose like toy floated over the head of Dib Membrane's greatest nemesis: Irken Invader Zim.

"You!" Zim jabbed a finger at Dib.

"Uh...me!" Dib shouted defiantly, fists clenched.

"Him!" Zim said, looking at his SIR unit GIR while pointing at Dib.

"Them!" GIR suddenly squealed, clapping his hands.

"Squeak?" Minimoose looked at Zim.

"Not her!" Zim pointed at Gaz. "HIM!" He pointed at Dib...who was gone. "Huh?"

"He went downstairs," Gaz sighed, turning her Game Slave back on. "Can you just go screw up so I can get on with my life?"

"GIR! Minimoose! Activate your drilling beams and dig into the Stink Beast's lab!" Zim ordered.

"Yes my lord!" GIR snapped a salute, now in Duty Mode and formed his hands into giant drills which began to glow. Minimoose squeaked, and then fired beams from his eyes into the floor next to where GIR was digging.

Gaz looked up as the two robots dug a hole right down through the floor and into her dad's lab. Zim leaped down with a war cry.

"...the lasers came out of its eyes." Gaz commented. "Cool."

Xxx

"Aw man! Aw man! Aw man!" Dib whimpered as he scavenged through one of his dad's shelves. "Yes!"

He pulled a metallic case off of the shelf. "Yes! Dad didn't burn it!"

He opened the case, revealing his arsenal of paranormal weapons and objects. He pulled out a plasma rifle that the boys in the Swollen Eye Balls had made with some stuff Dib stole-though he still couldn't persuade them Zim was an alien.

"Heh-heh-heh...you're moose drilling days are over Zim!" The big headed maniac declared. "Alright, now I'll need a back up plan."

He picked up a book. "The Book of Legionem?"

He began to utter the latin incantation. As he did so, a large demonic beats slowly began to manifest behind him. Standing at over ten feet in height, with large claws and drooling fangs, it leaned over him, slowly opening its mouth as t began to become solid...

"Hey! My copy of Alien Hunter's Digest! Man I was looking everywhere for this!" Dib tossed the book aside and picked up the article. "Man, dad's been stealing my articles for three months? All of the UFO sightings I missed out on."

BOOM!

The door was blown off its hinges.

"Here's ZIMMY!" Zimmy shouted, an insane grin on his face.

"Where'd you get _that_ line from?" Dib faced his enemy.

"I saw it on this movie where a human killed other humans!" Zim said. "He'd hack open a door and peek in with an insane grin! Pretty creepy, huh?"

"And this is why I should have come in first," A figure strolled by Zim, slowly manifesting into view. It was a purple eyed Irken, female and with a device attached to her head. She was rather attractive for an Irken, and was currently holding a laser pistol in one hand.

"But I make such good intimidation tactics!" Zim boasted.

Tak rolled her eyes. "Alright human, give me the photographs and we can be on our way. The less time I have to spend with this moron the better."

"You'll never get the photos!" Dib raised his rifle. "Say hello to my little friend!"

"Your movie references suck!" Gaz shouted from upstairs.

DOW-DOW-DOW-DOW! The plasma rifle began to fire off blue spheres of energy that forced the two invaders to dodge. Tak ducked behind a counter where several chemicals were spilled. Hissing as some water dripped down onto her head, she stood up and fired three times over the counter top.

TSEW-TSEW-TSEW!

The three energy beams missed. One hit the counter behind Dib, scattering fragments of machinery. The second one hit the floor next to Dib. And the last one hit the wall next to his big head.

"If only your head was just a bit bigger!" Tak cursed, crouching again.

"MY!" DOW! "HEAD!" DOW! "IS!" DOW! "NOT!" DOW! "BIG!" DOW-DOW-DOW-DOW-DOW!

"It's so big I could conquer it as a planet!" Zim shouted as he leaped up and attached himself to the ceiling with his PAK legs. "GIR! Attack!"

GIR shot into the lab, red eyes narrowed and his fists aimed at Dib as he shot across the lab.

"Meep." Dib squeaked as the robot began to close in.

Fifty feet.

GIR accelerated.

Thirty Feet.

Tak looked at her watch, wondering what the hell was taking so long for the robot to fly so fast across the room.

Twenty Feet.

Dib shook, and then wiped his forehead. "Man, I need a drink."

VHOOM!

GIR shot right past Dib...and was hugging a toy piggy of Gaz's that had been left in the lab. He cried as he hugged the blackened piggy. "Why piggy? I loveded you pig! I _loveded you!_"

Zim smacked himself in the face.

"MIMI! Engage and destroy!" Tak commanded.

A black cat with red eyes shot out of the shadows and landed in front of Dib. It stood up, slowly turning into a SIR unit-heavily modified at that and scary looking to boot. It turned its left hand into a chainsaw and revved it up.

"Double meep!" Dib leaped back to avoid being cut in half. "GAZ! HELP!"

"Be quiet!" His sister shouted in response.

Xxx

Upstairs, Professor Charles Membrane hummed as he poured himself some coffee.

BOOM! The house shook, and drops of coffee hit his nice clean counter top.

"DIB! You aren't raising the dead again are you?" Membrane shouted.

"No dad! I'm being attacked by aliens!" Dib replied before another explosion. "OW! That hurt!"

"Face it like a man Dib-Stink!" Zim shouted.

"Aw, carry on then." Membrane hummed as he went back to his coffee.

Suddenly a drone flew over and revealed the face of Simmons. "Professor, we have an outbreak at the genetic development lab! We need you to-AH NO! NO! STAY AWAY! I HATE WEENIES!" The man screamed as he was crushed under a wave of D'licious Weenies. "AH! SO AWFUL! THIS IS WHY I'M VEGAN!"

Membrane leaped to his feet. "The call of Real Science _beckons me!_" He leaped up, doing a flip in mid air, smashed through a wall, land landed in his car in the drive way, ripping the top open. "Gaz! I'll be back in an hour! Dinner is in the oven!"

"Okay dad!" Gaz said, not even listening.

"And tell your brother to stay away from the Dimensional Scope!" He backed out onto the street. "It's energy cells haven't been replaced! If it goes critical, everybody in the lab will be DOOMED!" He laughed maniacally, and then regained himself. "So uh...tell him to be careful!"

"Okay dad!" Gaz repeated, still not listening.

"Perfect!" Membrane nodded. "IF only Dib listened as much as you daughter!" He then shot off down the street.

Gaz grumbled. "Yeah whatever." She beat the next level. "Yes! Final level! Almost got it!"

Xxx

Dib cackled as he rampaged through the lab in a giant suit of Mech Armour similar to the one his father would have given him had Zim not corrected his Time Displacement Plan to kill Dib with piggies. "Today is the day humanity strikes at the Irken Empire!"

"More like the day Zim places a flag on top of that grotesquely gigantic planet sized head..._WHICH IS BIG!_" Zim roared, scrambling over rubble as more pieces of the lab's ceiling fell. He landed next to the Dimensional Scope-which served only to remind him of the hideous Halloweenies. He fired his PAK legs' built in lasers at the robot, but the armour on it was polarized by the insanely powerful generator built into the back along with the one it was attached to by a large cable attached to its back-right below the generator hanging there. The energy dissipated over the charged metallic armour.

"Uh..._Tak?_" Zim looked around. "Hello? Help?"

"Prepare to die Zim! I will finally rid this universe of your evil ways!" Dib declared.

"If you think my mission ends here Dib, you're mistaken!" Zim pointed at Dib.

"You're outgunned and outsized Zim," Dib smirked. "You're not getting away from me this time-"

"I said if you think my _mission_ is ending, you're mistaken!" Zim raised his voice when he said 'mission'.

"Yeah, I got that but-"

"_Mission! Mission florp it! TAK!" _Zim roared. "That's the signal you fool!"

"Well then try making it a word you don't say every two seconds you moron!" Suddenly the power cable came out of the back of Dib's robot. The energy used to polarize the armour was significantly decreased.

Tak reappeared, with MIMI on her shoulder. "Alright, hit him!"

"Minimoose!" Zim commanded. "Attack!"

Suddenly the lttle purple moose floated down in front of Dib.

"...this is your finishing move? A moose?" Dib began to laugh. "Wow Zim a lot of your plans suck but this takes the cake!"

"Squeak!" Minimoose demanded, offended by the insult.

"Surrender or suffer a painful death? Hah! What'll you do, cuddle me to death?" Dib began to laugh again. "You're just a little moose!"

"Squeak..." The 'squeak' came out slow and very low.

Suddenly his eyes lit up..and Minimoose used a pair of laser beams to cut the legs of the robot off at the knees. Dib blinked as he tried to comprehend what had just happened.

"Squeak." Minimoose made a motion that seemed like a nod, as if answering the unspoken question:

Did that just happen?

Dib looked around frantically. "No-no-no-no-NO-NO-NO-!" CRASH!

The robot's top half fell off of the lower legs, which stayed upright.

"Hah! Do not taunt the moose Dib-Stink!" Zim sneered, scrambling on top of the robot. "Now you will feel the full wrath of the Irken-"

"**WARNING! WARNING! CRITICAL SAFETY FAILURE!" **The lab's automated alarm went off.

"What did you do Zim?" Tak screeched.

"Didn't you hear what the human lady-voice said? SAFETY. FAILURE!" Zim replied. "Which means _RUN FOR YOUR COLD UNFEELING ROBOT ARMS!_"

The two Irkens began to scream and ran for the door...but a metal security door slammed down over it.

"**Explosion contained."**

"What? Explosion?" Dib climbed out of the mech. "What ex...plo...sion." He looked at the remains of the Dimensional Scope next to his mech. "Oh son of a-"

Xxx

Gaz smirked as she came upon the boss. "I've got you now!"

Victory was at hand!

Dodge the first wave of fire balls, leap over the Pyro-Piggy monster, cut down the Pork Reaper, and then-

The Game Slave's batteries died.

...

"SON OF A-"

Xxx

Tallest Red and Purple cheered as they watched the progress of Battle Royale.

"Haha! That was awesome!" Purple laughed.

"Yeah! Did you see that last one?" Red was doubled over, wiping a tear from his eye. "It's like he wasn't even trying to survive!"

"That Custogan ripped him to pieces!"

"Yeah! Aw man I have gotta see that again." Red reached for the remote...but accidently knocked it over, sending it under his chair.

"Oh son of a-!"

Xxx

"Now now Skully it'll be ok-AY!" Shen Baron, the feared Vortian Pirate Captain gagged as his throat was almost crushed by a rather impatient and very cranky Irken woman.

"NO IT WON'T SHEN BARON!" She shrieked. "I swear upon my mother's grave I'll get revenge on you for _doing this to me?_"

"AH! THIS IS THE WORST PAIN I'VE VER FELT IN MY-" Shen's head was slammed into the side of the bed. "_Life._" He wanted to collapsed ,but Skullene didn't give up.

"Just keep her busy a few more seconds...there!" A green eyed Irken in a white uniform said.

Skullene suddenly relaxed, shuddering as the doctor smiled. "Congratulations!" He held up an egg. "It's an egg!"

Skullene grinned lazily. "Pay up honey, I told you Irkens laid...eggs..." She was out like a light, leaving her husband there to hold their new born uh...egg.

He looked at t as a crack appeared along the shell. Suddenly a gray skinned head with a set of thin horns kind of like the curly antennae most female Irkens had and a set of big green eyes stuck out into the world.

It looked up at its father, who smiled.

"So beautiful." The new father whispered.

"Mr Baron? Here's your bill." The doctor handed him a slip of paper. "Best not let MRs Baron see it when she wakes up." Then he fled, knowing the reaction.

Shen looked at it...and his eyes bulged. He set his daughter on the bed and took off after the doctor.

"GET BACK HERE YOU SON OF A-!"

Xxx

"Holy Irk!" The spy whispered. "She actually gave birth!" He looked away from the screen. "I've got to warn the Tallest! This is a crime against Irken kind itself!"

Suddenly a clawed hand was set on his shoulder. "Harming my angel? I think not, scum."

The spy gulped as he slowly turned and came face to face with the illusive and insane Hellion. "Oh son of a-"

Xxx

"The next word is this:" The game show host read off a card. "A name for a female dog, often used as an insult or curse word."

"Oh, I know that one!" Iggins raised his hand, hopping up and down...and fell off his pedestal. "OW! Son of a bitch!"

"That's correct! You win a million dollars!" The host tossed the card away...Before an explosion levelled most of the town.

BOOM!

Xxx

The explosion could be seen from all over the galaxy.

Xxx

"Again."

ZZZTTTT!

"Ow-ow-ow!" The prisoner whimpered.

"Now will you talk?"

"Never!"

"Again."

ZZZTTTT!

"OKAY I'LL TALK!" The Vortian wailed.

"Good." Invader Grimrair said. "Now, tell me where the bomb is!"

"Alright ,it's- ooh, bright light." He looked out of the shed's window at a bright light in the sky.

"don't change the subject!" Grimrair snarled. "Envon, again!"

Envon nodded, and flipped a switch.

ZZZZTTTTT!

"OW! Is a simple paint bomb seriously this much of a threat?" The Vortian cried.

"Not really, I just hate pranksters. AGAIN."

ZZZTTT!

"OW! STOP IT!"

XXX

...

"Well that didn't seem too bad-"

VCHOOM!

"_Sweet jumping jelly beans the agonizing pain!_" Zim wailed.

"What's happening?" Dib shouted as he, Tak and Zim were tossed around in what seemed to be a vortex of energy. Outside, Dib could see a blur of images, like a messed up TV screen. In some parts he saw scenes similar to his younger life. In others...he saw himself, but different. Some were taller, stronger, heroic...others ugly, despicable, and foolish. It was like seeing a million different versions of his life play out, some ending with him capturing and dissecting Zim, some ending with him crying over the Irken's body...and even kissing it?

Any possible outcome was played as Dib was shot through space and time.

Suddenly he collided with something. He caught a glimpse of Gaz, still playing that thrice cursed Game Slave 3 as she flew away.

Zim saw variations of his own life. He couldn't believe in how many universes he betrayed the empire...or coupled up with Tak, Gaz, or even worse: DIB! The illogical possibilities astounded him with each passing second.

He and Tak saw one together. In it, alternate versions of themselves sat in the wreckage of Irk, sitting on their knees, their weapons on the ground next to them. They were crying softly, holding one another.

And then, the Zim tilted her head up, and gently pressed his lips over hers. She didn't fight him; if anything she pulled herself closer, settling herself in his lap as he held her.

The kiss broke, and the Tak whispered as she cuddled against him. "I love you Zim."

Stroking her antennae, the Zim shut his eyes. "I love you Tak...I always have." He smiled sadly. "It's all over now. The empire will never hurt us again." He kissed her. "I promised you, and I delivered."

Needless to say the two Irkens were shocked and a little disgusted by the scene. IF Tak could have seen HER Zim she would have strangled-wait, _her _Zim? Where did that come from?

She didn't have time to ponder, when darkness claimed her vision.

She heard Zim's scream, and then she knew no more.

Xxx

...

All in the universe was wrong, even f nobody knew it.

But how could they predict this event? This impossible-actually just unlikely event where two universes would meet by the mere chance of a dimensional anomaly caused by a device designed to see into other worlds, not interfering whatsoever.

But had anything from one world ever crossed into another?

When two objects with magnetic pulls meet, they usually push each other away, repelled by the fact that they were both either positively or negatively charged. But what happened if instead, they met and for just a second were attracted to and stuck to one another before pushing off?

Total chaos was the answer.

Xxx

**Xavier Mansion**

John Allerdyce whistled as he and several other students of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters tuned in to the latest report on the weather. "Hey Bobby, about time!" He called as his part time friend part time rival Robert' Bobby' Drake entered the room.

Bobby was a rather average sized young adult, considered good looking by his peers, and especially by the young woman next to him. Marie, AKA: Rogue had dark hair and matching eyes, but she had a single streak of white hair, pure as snow, a result from a confrontation the previous year when she had been captured by mutant and now confirmed terrorist, Eric Lehnsherr, AKA: Magneto, the master of magnetism and the Mutant Supremacist who was willing to use her to power his precious machine and turn the leaders of over 200 countries along with all of NYC into slowly dying mutants.

She wore gloves on her hands, one of which was intertwined with Bobby's until she saw what they were watching. "Again? It's been three days!" She rushed over to get a better view of the screen.

"You know it beautiful," John said without looking at her, flicking his signature cigarette lighter open and closed again and again.

The report was on a strange weather phenomenon that had been ravaging New York City. Though no deaths had been reported, there had been a drastic decrease in tourism in the Big Apple, along with transportation for anything below ground. Rain pounding, building up, rising to knee level. It was a nightmare for anybody trying to get to work. And it was a matter of time before it got worse.

"Why don't they just send Ms Munroe over or something?" Bobby inquired out loud.

"Because even I have my limits, Bobby." An attractive, dark skinned woman with silver hair replied as she strolled in and leaned on the back of the couch. "And _that_ storm is a little out of my league. Want a clear sky? I can give you that. But I am not flying out into the middle of New York with the weather like that."

"Point taken," Bobby shrugged.

"OH hey sh!" John leaned forward. "Here's another nut job."

Many times a 'light' had been mentioned by random pedestrians. Mostly homeless people fleeing from flooded allies or the odd stranger or two. They became more and more common.

"_It was like a big whirlpool, but-but it was in the air and made of light or something man!" _The skin head being interviewed shouted over the rain, a hood over his head.

"_Another supposed sighting of this odd light source," _The reporter faced the camera. _"Hallucination? Or possibly a very real phenomenon, find out later tonight."_

John clapped as the report changed. "And there we go, another douche bag looking for his ten seconds of fame on camera."

"Actually Jonathan, I'm finding these rumours to be of...slight concern." A man-bald, handsome for his age, in a neatly pressed suit and sitting in a wheel chair said as he moved the motorized wheel chair into the room. He came to a stop. "As we are all aware, the recent amount of X Gene activations has sky rocketed within the past several months, mainly in countries such as America and in regions similar to New York City. Perhaps a mutant is taking advantage of the storm to test their powers without fear of reprisal."

"So he's putting on a light show?" John rolled his eyes.

"I'd appreciate it if you do not find the possibility of me having developed Alzheimer's so great, Jonathan." Professor Charles Xavier cracked a smile. "I have already used Cerebro to examine New York, and located over a thousand mutants in all during my search, but none of them have been in the area where this odd light has appeared."

"Maybe it's a teleporter," The suggestion came from a dark haired handsome man wearing red tinged sun glasses who was leaning against one of the wooden pillars out in the hall. "The guy opens a big flashy portal, steps in, steps out another one."

"That could explain why I have had difficulty focusing on him, especially in such a highly populated area." Charles nodded.

"Why not get the resident Hunter to go look for us?" Scott Summers asked. "I hear Logan likes rainy places best."

"You heard wrong Sunshine," An older man with thick black hair, sideburns, and a generally intimidating appearance stepped past Scott. He was clad in a pair of steel toed boots, jeans, and a leather jacket. "Snowy places, like Canada. Get it right or I'll play Keep Away with those shades of yours." Logan-the only name that the Wolverine ever went by stopped next to Charles, taking a cigar out of his mouth. "So Chuck, what's so important that my noon nap got cancelled?"

"Well if you would kindly rid yourself of that cigar-"

_Hissss_

Logan pressed the cigar tip into his hand, not even wincing as he withdrew it ,leaving a burn...which vanished before his very eyes.

"Thank you," Charles nodded. "As of late I've found myself very concerned with mutant related incidents. Such as the assassination attempt on the president-"

"Don't you have Jean taking care of the elf downstairs?" Logan asked.

"Indeed, and Mr Wagner has been most forthcoming," Xavier nodded. "But I believe that this is no coincidence. First a mutant attempt on the president's life and the mutant maintains no discernible memory of what lead up to the event. And now there is an an irregular storm that should not exist with mutants using their powers in the cover of the rain and darkness."

"And I fit in...where?"

"I would like you, Cyclops, Storm and Mr Wagner to head to New York."

"Whoa now," Scott spoke up. "You trust that guy? He tried to kill the President in case you forgot!"

"I have not forgotten Scott...in fact Jean has confirmed Mr Wagner was not in his right mind at the time of the event." Charles looked to them. "Meet Night Crawler in the hangar. Storm, you can clear the weather enough to allow for a safe landing."

"Yes Professor," Ororo nodded.

"You are there to scout, not fight...but be cautious, and be ready." Charles advised his X Men.

"I want colossus with us also," Logan spoke up. "If the winds pick up I want somebody there besides me and Storm who won't get blown away."

Scott glared at Logan, and went to grab his equipment.

Charles sighed. "Do try to play nice for once."

"No promises." Logan whispered as he turned to leave.

"Good luck Logan!" Marie called.

Marie had come to view Logan as somewhat of a father figure ever since he had taken on the role of his unofficial guardian. It had increased when he had almost died providing her his regenerative ability on Liberty Island in order to save her from the after effects of powering Magneto's 'Mutant Creation Device'.

Logan cracked a smile. "Keep it clean while I'm gone Drake!"

Bobby blushed as several older students grinned at his expense.

Charles wheeled his way out. "I swear no matter how old they get they always act like children."

Xxx

End of Chapter


	2. Chapter 2

The Mutant Zim Gene

Xxx

**Blackbird Jet, over New York City**

Ororo's eyes had lost all colours except for the faint trace of silver where her irises were supposed to be. Her powers were holding back the full fury of the storm that would have made landing impossible-or would have made them crash into a sky scraper sooner or later. Usually this effort would not impair her driving, but most of the time she was flying far from any sort of objects instead of a few thousand feet off of the ground over a partially flooding city in the middle of a storm too powerful for her to dissipate. Because of this, Cyclops was currently today's pilot.

The four X Men were clad in the suits that marked them as Charles Xavier's trusted students and friends. Logan disliked them, and not just because his suit was tight in a few places it ought not to be. Despite his protests, the suit managed to put up with most forms of damage the first and only time he had worn it before today.

Tugging at the collar a bit, he glanced out the window. "And you thought I'd love it here."

"It is not as bad as it appears to be," The fourth mutant in the cockpit spoke up. "It is only taken so seriously because it disrupts the daily lives of anybody beneath it."

"And why did I let you come along?" Logan raised one eye brow in the direction of the only member of the team not currently clad in an X Men Uniform.

Kurt Wagner, otherwise known as the Incredible Night Crawler of the Munich Circus was one of those mutants who did not exactly get the luxury of even appearing human. His skin was dark blue, almost black, and was marked with many symbols-each supposedly representing a 'sin' as the teleporter had said. Also, his feet and hands were unlike human ones, and his nails could do with a trimming-in the opinion of one Kitty Pryde, who had kept her remark to herself so as not to hurt Kurt's feelings.

"Because the professor said so," Scott replied for the blue mutant, not in the mood for Logan's attitude.

"Do you have a little button you just press every time to make you say that?" Logan didn't even show any emotion in the insult.

"We're approaching the Drop Point. Going to stealth." Scott said tersely as he began to set the Blackbird down in a part of the city that was mostly untouched by the rising water.

With the bird cloaked, the team unbuckled themselves.

"Alright, Storm, you can fly in this so I want you to be our eye in the sky." Scott put up the hood he was going to be wearing in the rain. "Night Crawler, you're the fastest here so when somebody says they see something, you'll be there."

"_Ich werde nicht scheitern._" Kurt nodded.

Scott and Ororo paused to look at the german mutant.

"He said he won't fail," Logan said, now dropping his casual facade and becoming serious as he slid his gloves on.

"You speak german?" Ororo asked.

"And French, Spanish, Italian, mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Arabic, Lakota," Logan listed them as he hit the switch to lower the ramp. "Thai, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Korean," He raised his voice as the storm began to drown out his words. "And Hindi and Persian! Now let's get a move on!"

Ororo glanced at Scott.

"Fifteen years of walking around," Scott shrugged. "A guy has to have a hobby to pass the time I guess."

"Get a move on pretty boy!" Logan shouted from the bottom of the ramp.

The team gathered in the parking lot they had landed the Black Bird in. It was abandoned, and the water was up to their ankles. They all had their hoods up-except Logan, who did not even acknowledge the weather.

"_Two hours, and then we're back here!_" Logan shouted over the rain, wind, and thunder. "_Set your damn watches and don't forget to check!_"

It was times like these Logan felt a sense of familiarity. Giving orders, planning how the op would go-but it also gave him flash backs and headaches, but absolutely squat diddily _shit_ about his old life.

But this wasn't an op, just a scouting mission.

How bad could it be?

Xxx

"AH THE PAIN! Oh almighty shortest I have never felt so much pain in my life!" Tak shrieked as she was dragged into the safety of an abandoned apartment building by MIMI.

"RAIN! Pouring of _Doom!_" Zim, in a similar condition rambled on as his skin healed. "Curse! You! Tasty factory! Going out. Of. Business! Make. Me, talk like, human, from, starship, NOT FOUND!"

"That was a TV show!" Tak growled. "Now shut up and try to figure out where we are!"

"Fine, calm down!" Zim got up. "Computer, send my Voot and retrieve us!"

There was no response.

"Computer, I ordered you to send the Voot and pick us up!" Zim said into his radio.

With once again silence on the radio, Zim snarled. "If you don't answer me I am going to-"

"_This frequency is occupied you moron!_" A familiar voice snapped. _"Now what the florp are you doing on MY planet? Talk or I'll unstring your muscles!"_

"Skoodge?" Both Irkens stared at the communicator as it projected an image of Skoodge...but not the same one. He was not short and fat, but closer to their height, and had a scar over his right eye. He also lacked his usual jolly friendly self, instead a cold glare greeted the two Irkens.

"_Yes, _Invader _Skoodge," _He tapped one foot impatiently. _"Now talk or I'll-wait a second? Zim?"_

"Yes, it is I! The Almighty _Zim!_" Zim declared. "And this is _my_ planet Skoodge! What do you think you're doing busting in on my kill?"

"_You're dead! You're DEAD! I saw you DIE!" _Skoodge growled, his surprise giving way to pure fury. _"How the florp are you still alive?"_

"How the florp are you not in a Defect Execution Chamber?" Tak countered. "You're acting weird Skoodge, more than usual."

"_Shut up woman, I don't even know you,"_ He cast one sickened look over her. _"Probably some low down defective breeder type, like Red's slut Skullene."_

"Skullene?" Zim blinked.

"How _dare_ you?" Tak growled. "Skoodge when I get my hands on your bloated throat I'm gonna-"

"Wait!" Zim held up a hand. "Skoodge, I am your Taller and therefore am overriding your computer's commands. Computer! Patch me into the Tallest."

"_**Voice recognition approved. Welcome: Invader Zim."**_ The voice of Skoodge's automated computer said.

"_Invader_ Zim? That thing is broken!" Tak huffed, arms crossed.

"Jealous it acknowledges Zim's awesomeness?" Zim teased her.

"_No computer! Don't you-_" Skoodge was cut off.

"_**Link established."**_

And then an odd sight greeted them.

Xxx

**90 seconds earlier...**

**On Irk**

Tallest Red was still feared throughout the universe, even in this one. He had power, height, and muscle. He would once in a while lead his armies in person, even going on the front lines in a final siege.

Tallest Purple was the blood thirsty one though. He would always go to dirt with the troops and rip apart his enemies. He even scared his troops. Hell, he even scared Admiral Hellion-who stood not but ten feet away.

Hellion was Red's trusted Lieutenant-trusted even more than Purple for obvious reasons. He was of an impressive height-thought not as big as his brothers Grimrair or Envon-curse their names a thousand times over and may they burn in a sun and be crushed in a black hole. Anyways, he was also an adept assassin before his promotion to Admiral, that and his psychological profile indicated that he was perfect for commanding position.

His red eyes clashed with the dark blue shirt he wore. It was longer in the back, giving him a sort of cape. He claimed it was a 'tradition' for the Smeets from his pod to wear blue-and indeed, they all had from Grimrair's poncho to Paneece's dress and Skullene's armour. His hands were large and clawed, and his feet were encased in a pair of steel toed boots with cloven tips.

He was hiding his discomfort at the sight before him...having to see his sisters snuggle up to the two leaders of the Irken Empire.

Paneece was petite, barely at five feet, but was considered attractive by Irken standards. She currently wore a purple skirt and a black sleeveless top with fishnet sleeves and stockings, and was barefoot ,he combat boots set on the floor next to the throne. She giggled as Purple stroked her antennae, cradling her to his chest like some pet. He was smiling down at her affectionately-she was the only one who ever got anything but cold looks or insane maniacal laughter from him.

It had been a decade ago when Paneece had agreed to be Purple's mate. She had been a scientist before that, and a damn good one. But he caught her hacking into the Control Brains. So he made a deal, go on a date with him, just one date and he'd never tell. They did go on their date...

And that was the only time Red could think of that caused events when Paneece blushed and began to lose her composure, specifically around Purple. Apparently he had shown her the best time of her life. And when Red meant _the _best, he meant _THE_ best: and Paneece attested to this.

After that she had waited months to suck up the courage to ask him on a second one, and then a third. By the tenth date, it was official, and they became mates-and sadly for Red they consummated their Irken version of a wedding every freaking day and night! An Irken marriage was different from a human one, as the marriage only lasted up until the mating ritual itself was done. Because of this, Irkens of great height would marry their mates the first time and then perhaps every year or decade. It did not have any official ruling over it, but once one mated with another, they rarely parted.

And Purple went for a yearly marriage. In Irken marriages-which are rather expensive, so again, only tallers had them on a yearly basis if they wanted to there was a rare and expensive fluid that was created from a liquid gathered on Meekroob-now ruled over by 'Queen Tenn' who had gladly supplied it. This fluid was considered the Meekroobian version of holy water, but to carbon based life forms like Irkens, it was able to bring unimaginable amounts of pleasure, especially during intercourse.

This was perhaps one reason why anybody bothered to actually have these 'weddings' more than once.

Paneece, stretched up, nuzzling Purple's exposed neck, and he growled playfully at her. She turned her head and exposed her own neck, letting him bury his face against her shoulder. She closed her eyes as she stretched, letting him feel her up.

Deciding it was time to stop looking when Purple's hand went to the waistband of Paneece's skirt, Hellion looked over to the Tallest Red and his mate...

Invader Skullene, clad in a black body suit as usual, but with red jewellery and fabric added to it. She sat in Red's lap, eyes focused on a screen showing Blood Sport. Red was more focused on her however, one hand brushing over her chest area. Skullene looked up, and turned sideways, allowing Red's tongue access to her mouth. Red wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her closer as she lightly grasped his face with both hands, deepening the kiss.

If the two sisters had any thought of Hellions obvious discomfort to see his older and younger sisters stepping on the line between 'make out session' and 'full blown sex', they did not show it.

Skullene had accepted Red's offer of being his mate when he offered it but over a year ago. She had rejected it before, even when he had been Tallest. Hellion had heard him ponder sending her to Consortia if she refused again, but luckily the next time around, she gladly went to Red's arms.

This only served to enrage their brothers, Envon and Grimrair. A mere month after Skullene became Tallest Red's mate, Envon personally destroyed the Massive's soon-to-be sister ship, the _Gigantic_ in its dry dock over Irk. The ship had taken barely half the time it took to build the Massive, but twice the cost due to more modern technologies being used in the construction. Luckily nobody-not even the Tallest themselves were aware that Envon's sisters were sitting in the arms of the two who would do anything to hurt Envon and Grimrair as revenge for starting the Irken Rebel Nation-which now had over four percent of the entire Irken race under its authority.

"Incoming transmission from Earth!" One drone proclaimed dramatically.

Red sighed. "Aw crap, not Skoodge again."

"Why did Zim have to crash on his way to Earth? We could have had him get rid of that ugly little defect for us!" Purple snapped, breaking his kiss with Paneece and taking his hand away from between her legs. Paneece pouted, arms crossed as she felt unsatisfied.

"Do you have to talk to him?" Skullene sighed, her head tucked under Red's chin and her arms around his neck. "Can't you just say you're busy?"

"The computer wouldn't connect unless we were available," Purple pointed out. "Got no choice, we have to take that freak's call." He opened the link.

"_Invader Zim reporting for duty my Tallest!"_

Jaws dropped...as did the drink in Hellion's hand. The guards' fell to their knees, bowing their heads while the taller ones saluted.

"Zim?" Purple gasped. "Is that really you?"

"_Indeed my Tallest! Now can you tell this fat Defect to get the florp off of my planet so I can conquer it?_" Zim asked.

"Fat defect-Skoodge?" Red blinked.

"_Yes! And I also request he be tried for mental defectiveness too! He is under the belief that I, the almighty Zim perished!"_ Zim doubled over with laughter. "_But as you can all see, Zim is alive and Zim is BEING ZIM!_" One eye twitched as he shouted the last word. _"Also ,for some reason Zim's base has vanished! I find myself without any form of technology other than my onboard weapons and my SIR unit."_

"_Hi Mistah Stick Men!" _GIR stuck his face into view. _"We went on a big ride to Wonderland and there was lotsa cheesy sticks! And then I lost my piggy and I got all sad." _He donned his 'sad face'.

The Tallest exchanged a glance.

"Maybe the crash caused some damage to him and that SIR." Purple whispered.

"Maybe," Red shrugged. "Let's keep this quiet and get him fixed, we can't afford to lose him again."

They faced Zim

"Zim, we're deploying a construction drone to Earth," Red said. "Feel free to dispose of Skoodge however you see fit, and continue with your mission! Make this empire proud and welcome back!"

"_Uh...thank you my Tallest! I am pleased to see my presence has been missed!" _Zim smiled. _"Invader Zim, signing off!"_

Then he vanished.

"...he's back!" A guard cheered.

"Operation Inevitable Armageddon just got a heck of a lot easier!" Purple and Red exchanged a high five.

"Celebratory mating!" Purple scooped up Paneece and carried her away bridal style as she cheered.

"That goes for us too Skully!" Red grinned, standing up with her in his arms.

Startled, she wrapped her arms around his neck to balance herself as he rushed off with her in his grasp.

Hellion sighed. "Where the hell did this all go wrong?" He counted off the possibilities.

1-When dad died.

2- When that moronic scientist made Zim's Infinite Energy Glob go on a rampage and almost kill mom-and then later killed Mom on her way back to Irk.

3- Envon left the empire.

4-Paneece became Purple's mate.

5-Grim left the empire.

6- Skullene became Red's mate.

And 7- Hellion didn't leave when he had the chance.

The Admiral sighed. "If only I was as nuts as the rest of the people here, then I would have blissful ignorance in the hands of insanity to dull my misery."

He paused. "Hm...how did Zim survive crashing his ship into Earth's moon anyways?...and why is it that I never noticed Skoodge's presence there afterwards to be worthy of suspicion? Hell ,he could have had a hand in that for all I know! _And why am I talking to myself_?"

Xxx

"Ah, so now things shall fall into place!" Zim declared. "Once my base is operational I will take over this mud ball!"

"_Hey! I was here first!"_ Skoodge shouted.

"You really are insane Skoodge," Zim chuckled. "Now if you don't mind? I'm going to wait for _my_ brand new base to arrive. And after that I'm going to blow up yours just for you being so insolent."

He cut the link. "Hah! That'll show him!"

Xxx

"That no good ,cocky, SHOO-SHEN !" Skoodge snarled, smashing his screen. "He can't even stay dead?"

Skoodge had long hated the famous Zim for his amazing talents. Zim was always the smartest, the handsomest, the bravest. He'd passed Invader Training with flying colours and was going to be given some planet on the edge of the universe to warm up on...

But Skoodge made sure he never made it.

A simple tactical charge on his Voot's fuel line, and Zim crashed and burned on Earth's moon. Skoodge had watched with glee, glad to be finally freed of that no good vrik na tishanti!

Then he spent a few months on Mars planning his invasion of Earth so he'd be awarded by the Tallest, and not that arrogant bug Zim! But he barely had his base up for an hour and now that bastard comes back from the dead?

"_It's not fair!_" He shrieked. "I am the better Invader! I always have been! I will rule this planet and not you Zim! I swear on it! I'LL KILL YOU AGAIN TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN!"

Xxx

"Hm...so what else is wrong with this world?" Tak wondered out loud, sitting on a window sill. "Skoodge is a jerk, the Tallest like Zim, Skullene was...with Red? What else is messed up?"

A flash of light blinded her momentarily. She blinked away dots of light and looked at what appeared to be a singularity forming in mid air over the street outside.

"Wow..." She scanned it. "It's like the one that brought us here." After another moment her onboard computer classified it. "Not just any tunnel...this is a Dimensional Anomaly." She examined more lines of data. "By the gods this is incredible!"

"What is it Tak-Beast?" Zim, with his usual timing opened the door to the empty apartment Tak had been sitting in. The door was barely hanging by its hinges before he opened it, and as he walked over it fell off entirely.

"It's an Anomaly similar to the one that brought us here!" Tak replied. "It didn't just move us to another city! Do you remember Invader Apocalyptic's lectures on Trans-Dimensional theory?"

"Hm? Ah yes, Zim viewed many records of Apocalyptic's academic years." Zim nodded. "Like back in the academy, we had a lesson on Faster Than Light Travel and Communication and Time Warp being used to create a more practical civilization."

"Yes, and Apocalyptic's theory was that FTL travel takes ships into another dimension entirely, and allows the ship to fold space so it can transfer to another point instantly." Tak continued. "But there was a theory that this FTL Dimension was not the only one accessible. He believed that given the proper amount of energy, other universes could be accessed and travelled to. But the problem was that any large enough concentration of energy directed to form a stable portal would cause an explosion."

"Like...the explosion from the Dib-Monster's machine!" Zim said, catching on. "That machine was made to look into other dimensions! If it was looking into this one at the time of the explosion-"

"And its power source went critical, then it could form a brief stable passage!" Tak finished. "Amazing! We have travelled farther than any other being in our universe! We've gone to another universe entirely!"

MIMI made a 'beep' like sound, and a slip of paper slid out of her head. Tak read it. "MIMI's concerned about a Dimensional Paradox being the result of our travelling here."

"How could our presence alone cause all of this to happen?" Zim demanded, pointing to the storm outside.

"Well, not merely us alone, but the fact that there was a link between this world and our own." Tak explained. "If I am right, the energy from the initial portal should be scattered and the portals will cease to appear. It should only take a few days for that to happen, but until then the dimensional paradox will cause a massive amount of weather anomalies in this region. If we leave, they shouldn't follow us."

"How would you know this?" Zim looked at her.

"I don't for certain, Apocalyptic designed this theoretical report after he tested the Magonag Generator." Tak got off of the window sill. "He claimed it let him experience several minute in another universe, but since the ship itself was lost on the return trip nobody has any certain proof."

"Uh...why didn't the ship return?" Zim asked.

"According to his report, the trip damaged his ship-like its disabled most of our onboard weapons." Tak tapped her PAK. "It didn't compromise it, but it wouldn't survive a second trip back-or so he said. Only the Emergency Pilot Retrieval Unit saved his life, and only because the portal he made remained open using the energy from a nearby Super Nova to power a series of generators assigned to absorb the massive amounts of energy released and direct it towards the ship itself. It kept a portal open for three full minutes, yet Apocalyptic's Mission Clock read he had been in whatever world he was in for over six weeks."

"A temporal anomaly?" Zim guessed.

"Well, three minutes in our world could be days or weeks in here, or for all we know the Irken Empire's conquered the galaxy by now after a few decades of conquest." Tak sat down on what was left of a chair. "And now we're in a world where you were actually respected."

"Bah! This is no different from Zim's world! The Irken people love Zim as much as ever!" Zim laughed. "They were just playing hard to get!"

"Keep saying that Zim, it won't make it any truer." Tak said, but Zim did not even hear her.

Xxx

Logan hated the rain for one key reason: it made hunting hard in an urban environment like this. With trash and god knows what floating around, and his clothes soaked and heavy with water and his hair weighed down by it, his ability to locate anything ten feet from him was impaired.

"_Cyclops here, I've got nothing on thermals."_ Scott said.

"_Nightcrawler, I see no sign of these lights." _Kurt whispered into the radio he had been given a crash course in by Ororo.

After Logan didn't add to their little conversation, preoccupied with wading out of an alley where the water was half way up to his knees, Cyclops spoke again. _"Logan, Storm?"_

"I've got, squat," Splash. "Diddily." Splash. "Shit." SPLASH!

He glared at the car that had passed, splashing him. He growled, but let it go.

"_I see a light!"_ Ororo shouted. _"Converge on my location!"_

Using the tracker provided to him-thank god for water proof electronic devices Logan began to track Ororo and the rest of the team. Nightcrawler had reached her first, obviously. Cyclops was soon walking next to Logan before they met the other two members of the ground team on a set of stairs, out of the damn water.

"Where s it?" Scott asked Storm.

"In the alley behind this building!" Kurt shouted over the roaring winds and pounding rain. "Follow me!"

With many humans not even outdoors or n the city anymore, Night Crawler was free to leap off of the stairs and reappear near the mouth of the alley. He wrapped one arm around a street light to keep from being swept away by the forming current.

The four X Men forced their way down the alley turned a corner...and they were blinded by the glow. It looked like something from out of this world, a tunnel framed by light around a single dark void. The light looked more like a mist like material lit up like the gas inside a fluorescent light, except it was outside floating around and still in plain sight. It reminded the three more Veteran X Men of Magneto's 'Mutant Radiation' machine he had unleashed on Liberty Island.

"_Lieber Gott,_" Kurt muttered, his yellow eyes widened to the size of dish plates as he got off of the wall he had been hanging off of.

"Cyclops?" Ororo looked at the team leader.

"I've got him on line already," Cyclops tapped his head.

_And you are not the only one who is confused by this, Ororo._ The voice of Charles Xavier whispered in their minds. _But I sense something in the proximity of the vortex...two minds, human, and both young._

"There's a kid in there?" Logan's eyes narrowed as he tried to spot any forms in the light or in the water under it. He found no scent at first...

_They are getting more clear...here they come._

Suddenly two streams of light shot out of the vortex. They both hit the water in front of the X Men, causing steam to shoot up.

But after it cleared, a young boy with a rather large head and a scythe shaped hair style was coughing up water while a purple haired girl was playing some sort of hand held game, holding it away from the water.

"Aw that really hurt." The boy said, hands on his stomach as he got up.

"Whiner," The girl muttered.

The boy looked at the X Men through his glasses. "...HOLY CRAP!" He pointed at Kurt. "What are you?"

Kurt recoiled, and Ororo took that as her signal to step between them. "How about you answer our questions first?"

"How did you end up inside that thing?" Scott asked. "And are you both alright?"

"Yeah I uh...I don't really know how we ended up here," The boy, Dib Dib said as he stood up to his full height. "I was in my dad's lab fighting a couple aliens and...then..." He trailed off as the four gave him weird looks. "I meant to not say that aliens part out loud."

Worried that the child was utterly bonkers, the X Men exchanged a look.

"Wait! It was my dad's dimensional scope!" Dib slapped himself in the face. "Of course! When it exploded it made a dimensional anomaly!"

"Dimensional...scope?" Logan raised an eye brow.

"...I really need to stop talking out loud."

Xxx

"Zim is alive?" The green eyed Vortian's single good eye narrowed, the other one remained open, a green light coming from it.

"Yes," Skullene nodded, sipping from the glass of expensive Vortian Nebula Wine, a vintage she had saved.

"Then that incompetent Skoodge has not eliminated your best Invader," Shen Baron, Ambassador of the Vortian Federation stated. He wore a crisp gray and black uniform, and his left, synthetic eye narrowed until a single dot of green light focused on Skullene.

They stood in one of the palace's many lounges, where celebrations for Zim's return took place. Skullene had changed into a more formal red dress for the occasion...at Red's request. They stood apart from the other delegates of the Irken Empire and it's neutral allies such as the Planet Jackets, the Veniran Imperials, and the Aenoran Alliance Members.

"Second best," Skullene corrected him. "We all know when I was in the business, I was the one to conquer three planets on my own."

"Point taken," Shen chuckled. "So will Inevitable Armageddon be back on track then?"

"It continues within the week," Skullene whispered.

"I see," Shen nodded. "So..."

"There aren't cameras in here, and my sister took the liberty of hacking into the light controls." Skullene smiled. "Wait until the count of five."

She whispered the numbers to Shen, who's mouth curled into a smirk.

"Five."

The lights went out, but Shen's eye could still see Skullene before him. With the other delegates startled and blinded, he took her into his arms, one around her waist and the other stroking the base of her antennae. Their lips connected, and Shen embraced his Mate.

For the first month of what she considered to be a prison sentence as Red's mate, Skullene had been miserable. But then Red let her go out for free time in the city, and she got drunk at a bar in the hopes her PAK would fail and kill her. Instead she got drunk with a Vortian and partied all night long.

Later that night, she awoke to lying in bed, cuddled up to the very same Vortian and with recovered memories of the most ecstasy filled session of her life. Red only ever thought of his own pleasures, but Shen definitely took care of Skullene during their time together, despite him being technically legible of being charged with rape due to their drunken state. Skullene was too important to be charged, she was Red's mate.

And then she became Shen's. Of course they had to do it in secret, but Shen's job kept him on Irk all the time. And since Skullene made a bull crap excuse to stay on Irk during Red's conquests by making a Botanical Garden Dome, she was able to see him there since it was available to the public and had no computers in it to record their presence.

Skullene had to constantly scrub herself of Shen's DNA though, and take care not to get pregnant. If Red found out, he'd slaughter them both, slowly.

Skullene moaned lightly into his mouth as one hand brushed over the base of her antennae, which had lowered themselves down instead of sticking up and then curving down. This was a natural reaction that Irkens used to have when aroused-Skullene owed it to her mother for this, as it made it easier for an Irken's mate to touch the appendages. Since antennae also drooped due to depression she could keep this hidden relatively easily.

The Vortian pressed her back against a wall, feeling every part of her through the dress Skullene wore-she only complained about wearing it when there was no guarantee that her _good mate_ was going to be there. Shivering at the contact, Skullene pressed herself against his chest, deepening the kiss. Isolated from the rest of the panicking party goers, they went unnoticed entirely.

Then they broke the kiss and returned to their original positions, straightening their clothes. Skullene grasped her left antenna and sat down as though she had been pushed and hurt it when she fell. Shen grasped her arm, helping her up as the lights came back on.

"What happened? Why did the lights go off?" Red demanded.

"There was a power surge, my Tallest," A technical drone bowed his head. "We restored power as fast as possible."

"Well make sure it doesn't happen-_Skullene!_" Red rushed over. "What happened to you?"

"Somebody shoved me," Skullene sniffled. "And then stepped on my antenna." Her bottom lip quivered.

"Somebody _dared_ to harm what is mine?" Red snarled, gently grasping her arms. "Who was it?"

Skullene shook her head. "I don't know." She secretly squeezed her antenna, hard, and the result was a single tear forming.

Red kissed the tip of her antenna-apparently having her as a mate for a decade taught him to show at least a little compassion. "I think we should just end this little party. We can have it again when Zim returns in victory from ...where was he again?"

"Earth," Paneece said from where Purple was holding her bridal style.

"Earth!" Red finished his sentence. "Alright everybody, you're free to go, have a great time and uh...whatever." He scooped up Skullene. "Let's just head to the throne room and relax a bit."

"I'd like that," Wiping away her tear, Skullene set her chin on Red's shoulder and looked longingly at Shen. She winked, and the Vortian smiled sadly.

Every time that _vrik na tishanti_ Red touched Shen's mate, it made the Vortian want to rip his antennae off and hang him with them. So far Shen had to restrain himself with injections, emotional suppression training, meditation, and refraining from carrying a weapon on himself in the palace. But it was so hard to know that Skullene had to lay with Tallest Red, the Blood Thirsty Tallest, the Blood Drinker, and the Conqueror of Worlds...and that Shen was essentially getting sloppy seconds.

But ally of Vort or not, this Tallest would not keep Skullene forever. Zim's return might even give Shen a chance to act out one of the many plans to get Skullene away from the Tallest.

All a matter of planning it out.

Xxx

"Doo-dee-doo-dee-doo-" Zim hummed.

CRASH!

Something hit the empty lot of land next to the apartment. Luckily the humans had evacuated so nobody noticed the new Irken Cruiser landing. Inside, among the Irken armaments sent to Zim, a construction package for a standard Invader Base was waiting to be activated.

"It is here!" Zim cackled. "Victory is inevitable!"

He and Tak rushed out onto the roof of their temporary home, cursing and screaming as the rain stung them. They hopped over to the cruiser and forced the hatch open.

Climbing in, they both collapsed on the inside of the air lock as the hatch shut behind them. A moment later the air lock's suction dried them as it removed contaminants.

Tak's implant sparked a bit, and she yelped in pain, placing one hand on it. "AH! My Neural Implant!"

She tried to get up, but stumbled around, groaning in pain until she tripped and landed on Zim's stomach. She went limp, her implant no longer reacting.

"Ok you can get off me now Tak," Zim said impatiently. "...Tak? Tak?"

He tapped her PAK and opened a diagnostic screen. "...Oooo-o-o-o-o-oh no that isn't good."

Xxx

End of chapter


End file.
